Elections to nine seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council are scheduled for May 12. However, given the current strength of parties in the 288-member assembly, the Opposition alliance is likely to secure only one seat through the legislative assembly quota
Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday said the Congress expects to contest a Legislative Council seat in the upcoming biennial elections if Uddhav Thackeray does not seek renomination.
The demand comes amid internal seat-sharing discussions within the Opposition alliance, as political equations begin to take shape ahead of the May 12 elections.
Congress Stakes Claim on MLC Seat
Sapkal said the party believes it has a strong claim to the seat if Thackeray opts out of the contest. He pointed out that the Congress had earlier expressed interest in contesting the Rajya Sabha election but stepped back when the alliance decided to field Sharad Pawar as the joint candidate.
He indicated that the Congress now expects reciprocity within the Maha Vikas Aghadi arrangement.
Limited Seats, High Stakes
Elections to nine seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council are scheduled for May 12. However, given the current strength of parties in the 288-member assembly, the Opposition alliance is likely to secure only one seat through the legislative assembly quota.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, holds a clear majority, making the contest highly competitive for the Opposition.
Uddhav Thackeray Among Retiring Members
Uddhav Thackeray is one of the nine members of the Upper House whose term is set to end in May. His decision on whether to seek another term is expected to play a key role in determining seat allocation within the alliance.
Other members completing their tenure include Neelam Gorhe, Amol Mitkari, Sanjay Kenekar, Sandeep Joshi, Dadarao Keche, Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, Rajesh Rathod, and Shashikant Shinde.
Congress Pushes for Fair Representation
Sapkal reiterated that the Congress had earlier proposed Thackeray as the alliance candidate for the Legislative Council, but the decision to nominate Sharad Pawar to the Rajya Sabha altered the equation.
He argued that if Thackeray does not contest, the MLC seat should be allocated to the Congress to maintain balance within the alliance.
Demand for Unopposed By-Election
The Congress leader also raised the issue of a by-election necessitated by the defection of former Congress MLC Pradnya Satav to the BJP. He said the seat was originally allotted to her following the demise of Congress leader Rajiv Satav.
Sapkal demanded that the by-election be uncontested and the seat be given back to the Congress, urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to follow established political conventions.
Baramati Example Cited
He cited the recent Baramati assembly bypoll as a precedent, where the Congress withdrew its candidate against Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. The by-election is scheduled for April 23.
With alliance dynamics under negotiation and limited electoral space, the upcoming Legislative Council elections are expected to test coordination within the Opposition bloc in Maharashtra.
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